Book Reviews & More

The Kingdom of Gods Read Along Part V

One of the few times Smudge has willingly held still for her photo.

Welcome everyone to the continuation of The Inheritance Trilogy with Book 3, The Kingdom of Gods. Violin in a Void is our host this week, so be sure to swing by her place and check out everyone’s thoughts. My big, big thanks to all my cohosts on this read along. They have been awesome! And very patient with me as my internet service has been very sketchy for nearly 2 weeks as they lay new cable (string new cable?).

Chapters 18-END are discussed below. Spoilers are having a party!

1. How do you feel about they way the relationship between Sieh, Deka and Shahar developed? How might this affect them as the Three of a new realm?

I think the three of them worked out a lot of their issues in the mortal world and that this will give them a strong base as gods and as lovers in the next universe. I like that throughout the book, they each hurt each other (whether intentional or accidental) and each had to come to grips with the pain of hurting a loved and with the pain of being hurt by a loved one – and then learn to move on. It was very well done.

2. The series as a whole and this novel in particular is full of parents, and child-parent relationships often play major roles in the plot and characterisation. Is there anything that stood out for you? Any other thoughts on the theme?

Sieh has always been loved by his parents, but wasn’t always able to accept that love….and even when he did, he never felt complete. Even though he had some horrendous times, he always had love. And for much of his existence he was kind of a selfish brat. Then we have Shahar, who craves just a little bit of love – from her brother and her mother. And both were denied her for much of her existence. Yet what little she received I think made her stronger and a better person.

3. Can you sympathise at all with Kahl’s desire for revenge or was it just too insane?

I think I understand it, but I can’t condone his final actions. He was created by a goddess and a godling, and then locked away in a lonely world, forgotten by all but his mother. And I am not sure how often she visited. Of course he wants the power of a god, so that he can never be hurt like that again. And he has a right to be angry at the universe. But should he be tearing it apart willy nilly in his quest for power? No. Unfortunately, I believe there was not way to reason with him at that time. And he was not containable. So Sieh had to do what he did. Oh my heart ached for Sieh!

4. “Nature is cycles, patterns, repetition.” What do you think of the way this idea plays into the plot and worldbuilding?

I like how the book was set up so that events of the past could possibly repeat themselves…..and then because the main participants refused to be asses, fate took a different turn. Shahar and Deka could have ended up hating each other for ever, and trying to kill each other. One of them could have tried to enslave Sieh (and Deka with his new powers might have been able to pull it off). Sieh could have remained the spite-filled little boy who detested all Arameri, but he grew up (emotionally). So, yes, there are cycles and patterns in life, but this book shows we don’t have to be slaves to them.

5. Are you satisfied with the way everything turned out?

Very nice. I had expected Jemisin to bring Sieh, Deka, and Shahar together to defeat Kahl. But she was more clever than that, more insightful. Sieh with his final actions (to end Kahl and to end himself) brought the world back together. His parents were all united once again, even if they weren’t quite ready to all share a bed in some celestial cloud for half a century…not yet anyway. Itempas was returned to power because in grief he finally loved one deeply.

I especially loved that Ahad found his nature – and it makes complete sense that it took him so long to find it. And Glee kicks ass!

6. Now that we’ve finished the series, what do you think of it as a whole? How does The Kingdom of Gods compare to the first two books?

Years ago, when I first read The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, it rocked my world. Not that I have completed the series, I can say that each book in the series is just a little better than the first. I will never hesitate to pick up a Jemisin book as I know it will be filled with worthy adventure and insights. My little confession is that, while I enjoyed Sieh’s mischievous character in Books 1 & 2, I wasn’t so sure I would enjoy a book that was essentially about him. How wrong I was! Sieh is far more complicated than I think even he knew!

Other Tidbits:

Echo palace just seems amazing and I think Shahar was 100% right to open it to the survivors of the calamity.

Usein Darr….At first, in this section, I really disliked her for killing so many people with the masks. But once the true calamity struck (the felling of the Tree..sniffle..) she stepped right in and helped the survivors and also allowed a truce of sorts while things were worked out.

Deka and Sieh enjoying a lengthy tussle in what would become an altar room! Hot!!!

Sorry for the delay… my laptop crashed, and it’s taken a while to put it back together again :(.

I really liked how different Shahar was from the usual Arameri heads. She opened her palace to refugees and even removed the Arameri family as world leaders! It was also very sad that Sieh had to kill his own son. I think that, given his failures with Kahl and Ahad, he will be a better parent in the new universe.